Beauty and the Battler
by DemonOtaku-Pearlshipper
Summary: Dawn tires of her boring, provincial life. Only books can take her to places she only dreams about, and she longs to go on adventures of her own. But when her mother is held captive, Dawn sells her freedom to take her place. While she longs to be free again, her jailer finds himself falling for her. Despite his beastly appearance, love begins blossoming between the two...
1. Their Plan & My Fantasy

**Okay, I know this story was actually suppose to be posted a few days ago, (Sorry, Gabby!) buuutt I got side-tracked with other 'fics that helped me get back on my feet. (Thank you, PorcelainDollxx and angelcutiepie...though you probably won't be reading this haha) Anyways, go read their 'fics if you haven't already, they're really good!**

**Ash: Ahem**

**Me: What?**

**Ash: *glare* What about Chapter 5 of "CLWY" ?**

**Me: ...o: that'll be up before I go back to school the 26th of this wretched month x.x I WILL MAKE SURE OF IT NO NEED TO WORRY!**

**Dawn: T.T That's my line**

**Me: Bummer. Anyways, more about this story- This story is based off of "Beauty and the Beast," which is one of my favorite movies. Why this particular story? Well, my theatre did "Beauty and the Beast" for our play this year, and it was spectacular! I wasn't a big part, but it was still soooo so so fun! :D Anyway, that inspired me to write this story c: (THERE'S NO RANDOM SINGING DON'T PANIC! But I will have some lines and lyrics thrown around in there c;) And plus, my OC character will make her first appearance! :D her form in my bio will come up eventually =3**

**Disclaimer: I do own Pokemon, nor do I own certain lines and lyrics from the movie "Beauty and the Beast."**

*****THIS STORY WILL BE THREE CHAPTERS LONG. I KNOW THIS FOR SURE.**

**Please enjoy! c:**

* * *

**Chapter 1- Their Plan & My Fantasy**

_The crack of thunder sounded outside, and rain began to pour in sheets on the playing children. They screamed, as did their Pokemon, and they ran in a tizzy to get to the front door of the house. The door opened before they could start banging their small fists on the wooden surface._

"_Come inside, children, it's alright," the ebony haired girl tried to assure the small kids, who all shoved their way inside to get away from the monstrous thundering and threatening flashes of lightning illuminating the dark sky. The teen sighed heavily and shut the door, muffling the storm's rage._

"_Now, everyone, settle down," said she, sitting in her rocking chair as the children grouped around her feet._

"_Settle down? How?!" one of the smallest girls exclaimed, waving her hands around in a panicked gesture and then stopping. She clutched her Oshawott, wide eyes looking up at the older girl._

"_Ms. Lucy, the storm will get us! How are you so relaxed?" cried another child._

_The older girl, called **Lucy**, had a playful smile across her lips and -upon being asked the silly question- she began to laugh. The children looked at each other in confusion. "The storm cannot get you when you are safe inside." She leaned over and her long dark hair fell over her shoulder. "The storm will only truly get you if you let yourself give into fear of it."_

_Once again the children exchanged skeptical and confused looks. Lucy's eyes twinkled; she'd expected such from the youngsters._

"_Now, the best way to fight fear is to think of a way to conquer it," Lucy informed the silent group, her hands clasping her knees. "But, since you're so young, I think distracting you will be the best medicine right now."_

"_Distract us?" the girl with the Oshawott asked._

"_Yes," The older girl said. "And I think reading to you would be best."_

_An excited murmur started among the children; they knew Lucy told magnificent stories, whether she read them from a book or told them from her head, she truly brought them to life. Sometimes she would act them out or really described them in such a mood setter that it would have the children on the edge of their seats, the full picture in their imagination blooming the more she would speak._

"_What story will you read us?" asked a boy with curly red hair._

_Lucy got up and crossed to the bookshelf in the corner. Bending over, she examined the spines of each book and ran her index finger over them, looking for the particular one she thought of. She made a soft "ah" as she plucked a leather bound book from the shelf and walked back over to the children._

"_I present, 'Beauty and the Battler,'" Lucy announced after she took her seat in the rocking chair again. The children murmured amongst each other again. They hadn't heard this story before._

"_This is one of my favorites, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I do," said Lucy, her smile as warm as a quilt. She had just opened the book to begin reading when a loud boom shook the house and suddenly the lights flickered off. The children shrieked in panic and clutched each other and their Pokemon, the darkness pressing on their eyes and blinding them._

_Suddenly, a red glow emanated from the rocking chair. Lucy was putting a Pokeball back into her belt, and the producer of the light was her Vulpix sitting on the arm of her chair, using a mere Will 'O Wisp to illuminate the room. Lucy got gracefully to her feet, pulled out some candles, and Vulpix guided the tiny wisps of fire to the wicks, giving the room some more light._

"_See, nothing to be frightened of," The dark haired girl chimed, the firelight reflecting off her magnificent eyes. Her irises had many colors: the outer rim of her eye started with a blue grey layer, then a blue green one, a creamy green, a green brown one, and then finally, the last layer around the pupil was brown gold. They were truly one of kind._

"_Now, shall we begin the story?" _

_The children nodded and grouped closer around her chair. Lucy picked up the book, and her Vulpix hopped on the arm of her chair, alongside it was a black shadow that zipped onto the other arm of the chair. It was the tricky fox Pokemon, Zorua. _

"_Oh, Dani, Zea, glad you could join us," The dark haired teen told her two Pokemon, who both rubbed against her affectionately. She smiled warmly and once again opened the book gently. The cover was embroidered with golden lettering, written in the language of the Unown. With a crisp clear of her throat, Lucy began to read:_

"'_Once upon a time, in a far off place called Pallet Town, there was a trainer named Ash Ketchum. He was said to be the greatest Pokemon trainer that had ever lived. He went through each region and earned all eight badges, and even beat all the leagues. He defeated every Frontier Brain as well, and managed to scrape win after win from every challenger he faced. He was also hardworking and passionate with his Pokemon, and with his few closest friends._

"'_However, after winning a great many battles, he became selfish, greedy, and unkind.'" Lucy paused for effect, watching the children's expressions change from wonder to disappointment. She continued._

"'_These emotions started clouding his judgment, and on a lonely winter's night, Ash received a visit from an elderly woman. She sought to battle him, and if she defeated him, she requested shelter in his home. However, if she were to lose, she offered him a single rose for his victory and she would depart._

"'_But Ash refused. He waved her away, repulsed by her looks, and he attempted to cover his disgust by telling her that she ought not to make a fool of herself by challenging him. She warned him not to be deceived appearances, but when he refused her again, her haggard appearance melted away to reveal the powerful and legendary Pokemon, Mew-'"_

"_Mew?" The children breathed out, their eyes wide with wonder. The dark haired girl nodded, beaming at their amazed faces._

"_Wow..." The girl with the Oshawott said, nudging her neighbor, who was holding a sleeping Budew, nodded in agreement with her. Lucy waited patiently as the children's murmuring finally ceased, and she fixed her eyes back on the page._

"_Trying to apologize for his mistake, Ash begged for a second chance, but Mew saw there was no love in his heart. As a punishment, she changed him into a ferocious beast, and cursed his household so the inhabitants were transformed as well. She told him that to break the curse, he would have to fall in love, and earn her love in return. The rose she offered was truly enchanted; it would bloom for several years, but near the end of the last year, it would slowly begin to wilt. It was his duty to find __her__ before the last petal fell, or he'd be eternally a beast...'"_

_Once again, Lucy paused. Total silence filled the room, the children so rapt and absorbed in the story that they did not want to interrupt. She smiled, and continued,_

"'_As time went on, Ash fell into despair; who could possibly love him, this monstrous beast? He hid himself and his cursed friends inside an abandoned castle deep in the Viridian Forest. Since none of them could be recognized, they could not return home and their families were sick with worry. No matter how many times they searched, they could not find their missing family members. His admirers thought Ash possibly became lost and died, and soon his name was just an old legend, a bedtime story. His mother grieved for him, pleaded and prayed for him to come home, but he was beyond her help. Mew had also left Ash an enchanted mirror, his only window to the outside world. He often used the mirror to check on his mother, who took the supposed death of him hard. He could not return to her, not just yet. He had to find __**her**__ first..."_

* * *

The morning light shone bright, penetrating through the closed curtains of the sleeping teen's room. She blinked, yawned, and sat up, stretching. Just another day. Start the routine.

Tossing the blankets off of herself, the blunette slid out of bed and approached her mirror, but flinched when she saw her appearance; her midnight blue hair was sticking up in all directions, her normal cream and roses skin was as pale as her sheets, and her eyes looked puffy and full of sleep. Yikes.

The blue haired girl seized her silver hair brush and began feverishly tugging through the tangles. It felt as if she was yanking out her scalp, but she refused to let anyone see her bedhead.

"Dawn! Dawn, honey, breakfast!" Her mother's voice called from downstairs. A couple of tugs later, and Dawn sighed with relief. Her hair fell smoothly down her back, silky and back to it's fine state. She smiled.

"Okay, mom, I'll be down in a moment!" Dawn called out, then began washing and scrubbing her face and brushed her teeth, then slipped into a light blue sundress with three tiny flowers on the neckline.

After analyzing her appearance for another five minutes, she decided that she looked acceptable enough and no longer blanched, so she made her way downstairs.

"Morning, dear!" Johanna exclaimed, infolding her daughter in a brief hug. "Are you going into town today?"

"I am," Dawn told her, sitting down and began digging into her waiting breakfast. Toast and eggs and orange juice. Normal. The same. Always delicious. Always on a china plate, always with a neat checkered napkin tucked underneath.

"Will you pick up some bread and eggs, dear?" The blue haired woman asked her daughter, whisking Dawn's empty plate and cup off the table as the latter stood up.

"Of course, mum," said she as she grabbed a picnic basket sitting ready for her beside the door. Like always. "See ya later!"

The blunette hurried down the path, through the garden, and over the hill, where she could see the small, provincial town of Pallet. It looked the same, small houses and usual morning bustle. She sighed. The only thing new that had much happened to this town was her and her mother moving in just over a year ago from her old town, Twinleaf. She liked that her house wasn't actually in town; it made her feel different and disconnected from everyone, but wasn't she already?

"Pfft, everyday, like the one before," She joked to herself, making her way down the hill with her swinging basket and passing the first few houses. "And hear they'll be waking up to say..."

"Hello!"

"Bonjour!"

"Top of the morning!"

"Good day!"

She memorized the usual morning greetings, could practically mouth them as they were said! She waved to some friendly townspeople, and spotted her first destination.

"And of course," Dawn whispered to herself. "There goes the baker with his tray- like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell." She debated on her choice, and then plucked two healthy looking loaves and slapped them down in front of the baker.

He raised his head and offered a swift smile. "Ah, Dawn, a pleasure, as always!" He said with an air of trying to be pleasant, but also with slight impatience. "Where are you off today?" He rang up her bread.

"To buy eggs, and to the bookshop!" She replied, offering a sweet smile at the mention of books. "I just finished this lovely story about a beanstalk and and a Golem-"

"That's nice!" He interrupted, not really listening and turning his head over his shoulder. "Marianne, the baguettes, hurry up!"

Dawn shrugged, muttering "never mind" and turning away to the next cart to purchase some eggs.

"That girl, she's always so been so peculiar," Iris whispered to her green haired boyfriend, who glanced over.

"Who Dawn? Oh who knows, maybe she isn't feeling well," Cilan told her, shaking his head.

"She's always got this dreamy look!" Georgia cut in, watching Dawn meander down the street with a far off look on her face.

From behind Georgia, a blond haired boy around their age nodded in agreement. "And she's always got her nose stuck in book! Every single day!" Trip exclaimed, making a face.

"She's quite a puzzle to us, I suppose," Burgundy said, rolling her eyes and wheeling her cart of expenses down the street.

Dawn, who could hear their loud conversation about her, just ignored the remarks and kept walking towards her destination. She was use to the people talking about her, use to the rude gossip they conversed about when they thought she couldn't hear. She didn't care much, just stuck to her beloved books for comfort.

The blunette pushed open the bookshop's door, and entered while the bell tinkled in a friendly sort of manner, much unlike the townspeople.

"Ah, my dearest Dawn!" exclaimed the owner of the shop, Professor Oak, whose kind smile and twinkling dark eyes made Dawn feel slightly better.

"Good morning, Professor!" She said, beaming and pulling a green covered book from her basket. "I've come to return the book I borrowed!"

"Wow, you finished it already, in just a day?" Oak asked, taking the book and carefully reshelving it. Dawn twirled around the bookcases, her eyes searching the spines for something she might not have read.

"Oh yes, I simply couldn't put it down!" She trilled, climbing on the ladder to look at the highest shelf to see if she could have possibly missed a story up there. "Have you got anything new?"

The Professor laughed good naturedly. "Not since a few days ago, and the three new ones you read already."

"Darn," She muttered, slightly disappointed as she scanned the shelves. Her gaze landed on a particular volume, and she seized it, her eyes twinkling. "I'll just borrow this one!"

She brought it over to him to checkout, and he chuckled again. "This one? But you've read it twice!"

"It's my favorite! Far off regions, daring Pokemon battles, magic spells, a champion in disguise-"

"If you like it all that much, it's yours, dear." He pressed the book in her surprised hands, and smiled broadly at her open mouth.

"B-but, sir, I couldn't-"

Oak shook his head and dusted off lab coat. "I insist." He winked. "For my favorite customer."

Her cheeks colored and she leaned over the counter to hug the old man. "Oh thank you, sir! Thank you so much!" Taken aback by her hug and before he could comprehend what to do next, Dawn had scurried off out of the shop, shouting another "thank you" over her shoulder.

Now that she had completed her mission for the day, Dawn started heading home. But, eager to start the book, she simply opened the old spine gently, and began to read, weaving in and out of passing people. Some grumbled, some squawked at her to pay attention, but she didn't run into people; the sight of her buried in her book while walking irritated them.

"Such a waste of beauty, being glued to books all the time," Soledad said to a man with long purple hair and dressed as a Cacturne. "Her looks definitely have no parallel."

"I agree. But, behind that fair facade, I believe she's rather odd," said Harley with a shake of his head. The pair watched as Dawn perched herself on the fountain, her eyes scanning each page with rapt attention. Some children sat by her, and she smiled and read from the book to them, until their irritable mothers ushered them away.

Dawn sighed, returning to her book with a small frown on her face. It was one thing when everyone thought she was odd, just muttered to each other about her unusualness, but it was quite another when people treated her like a freak, or a plague that could damage their children. She shifted uncomfortably in her spot, aware that many eyes were upon her. She gulped and kept reading, pretending to be unfazed by their stares.

Only did their gazes break when three girlish shrieks and giggles erupted from several yards away, and soon the people were murmuring in excitement as the source of the chatter emerged from the crowd.

"It's him, it's him!" They whispered, girls everywhere fixing their hair or brushing off their clothes. Guys grumbled some envious words and parted, revealing a boy with messy, auburn hair, dark eyes, purple pants and a tight, dark shirt to show off his hard muscles. His handsome complexion sent the nearest girls in a tizzy, and they bounced up and down in excitement, and one girl was so enraptured she was drooling.

Three girls followed the attractive teen, their hands clasped by their flushed cheeks.

"Look, there he goes!" The pink haired girl, called Ursula, squealed.

The brunette next to her sighed. "Isn't he dreamy?" Lyra asked.

"Oh he's so cute!" Bianca squeaked, tugging at her blond hair to make sure it was in place. The girls stayed close to Gary, batting their eyelashes and trying to say hello.

The young man hardly paid attention to his fans, just flipped a Pokeball in his hand. A twitchy blond boy with orange eyes scrambled to his side, holding a bag in his jittery hands.

"You didn't miss a capture, Gary, you're the greatest Pokemon capturer in the whole world!" Barry exclaimed.

Gary Oak just smirked. "Oh, I know." He flexed his fingers, and placed the Pokeball into his belt. He walked with his chest thrown out. A nearby girl fainted.

"Well, no Pokemon stands a chance against you," Barry blabbered on. "Or any girl for that matter." He let out a burst of laughter, and Gary nodded.

"Will you be choosing a wife sooner or later?"

Gary's haughty grin flicked on, and he spotted the blunette slipping off the fountain and walking away from the commotion without taking her eyes off the pages. He gestured to Dawn, a glint sparkling in his dark eyes.

"I've got my sights set on her," Gary exclaimed, a note of pride in his voice.

"Johanna Berlitz's daughter?" Barry asked, taken aback.

"Yes, indeed, she's the most beautiful girl in town," Gary informed him, starting to jog after Dawn's retreating form.

Running after him, Barry started to protest, but Gary turned to glare at him.

"Don't I deserve the best?"

"Y-yes," The blond teen muttered meekly, backtracking from fright. Gary's smirk returned, and he kept pursuing the blunette, Barry barely keeping up in his wake.

The townspeople's focus was on Dawn again, and the mutters started up once more,

"Look, there she goes, and reading another book. Big shocker."

"She's really strange."

"But special!"

"She's just a peculiar girl!" Lyra said to her two friends, rushing to keep up with Gary.

"I think it's a pity, and a sin!" Ursula grumbled, keeping pace with the blond and brunette.

Bianca, panting, managed to say, "She doesn't quite fit in!"

"She really is a funny girl."

"A beauty, though!"

"Oh, that Dawn!"

The people quieted about Dawn as she made her way up the hill, her basket swinging merrily on her arm, her book clasped in her grip. She didn't even notice the pair following her, until someone jumped in her way and she collided with him and stumbled back, dropping her book and basket.

"Uh, hi, Gary," Dawn muttered, trying to keep the annoyance in her voice to a minimum as she stooped to pick up the fallen objects. She gathered up her items, and tried to sidestep the auburn haired boy, but he blocked her way. "Excuse me." She tried to slip by, but he snatched her book from her hands.

"May I have my book back, Gary?" The blunette questioned as he flipped through it.

"How can you possibly read this, it has no pictures!" Gary said in disgust, shaking his head.

"Well, some people use their imagination," She informed him, making a grab for the book, but he merely tossed it over his shoulder into the dirt.

"Dawn, it's time you got your head out of those books and paid attention to more important things," Gary boomed, placing his hands on his hips and smirked at her.

Barry coughed, "Hint hint!"

Dawn regarded Gary's rugged features with an irritated expression, and managed to walk past him to grab her book. "Oh please, like you?" She scoffed, dusting off her book and turning to narrow her royal blue eyes at him. "Gary, please, I have to go inside and help my mother."

"Crazy 'ole, bat, she'll need all the help she can get!" Barry crooned, getting a laugh out of himself and Gary.

"Don't talk about my mother that way!" She snapped back.

Gary stopped laughing at once and gave Barry a shove. "Yeah, don't talk about her mother that way!"

"My mother is wise!" She said, but in the next moment, smoke burst forth from the windows of her cottage. She yelped. "Mama!" She ran to help her, and both boys laughed once more. The blunette opened the front door, coughing, and ran to the kitchen.

"Mama!" Dawn cried again, swatting away the fumes to where Johanna was lying on the floor, candle wax and bottles scattered around her. Dawn beat the smoke away with a blanket and knelt by her mother. "Are you alright?"

Her mother smiled and coughed a little. "Perfectly fine, deary. Just a little concoction gone wrong," She reassured her daughter, patting Dawn's cheek and standing up. She brushed off her apron and grabbed a rag.

"Lemme help you," Dawn said, seizing a rag as well and running it under the faucet before starting to scrub the floor. She was use to this sort of routine, her mother loved to experiment with different ingredients and hopefully make a new brew of some sort. Some people called her a witch, but she didn't do it for harm; she mostly sought out new medicines or pain killers. But others shopped at her little store, where she sold candles and herbs. It was nice her mom could make business, but moving from her old town had been tough.

The reason they'd moved was so her mom could find more business. Dawn complained that they didn't have to move to a completely different region, maybe just the next town over. But her mom had insisted, and her opinions weren't easily wavered. So now they were here, the boring old town of Pallet, the place that never changed.

"Thank you, honey, but really, I'm fine," Her mother muttered, patting her daughter's hand and finishing up the mess. She sat down as Dawn poured tea.

"So, did you have fun in town today?"

"Well...I got a new book!" Dawn said, trying to sound cheery as she sat across from her mother and handed her a tea cup. Her mother thanked her and took a sip, watching the younger blunette over the top of her drink.

"Uh...mum?"

"Yes, dear?''

"Do you think I'm...odd?" Her mother snorted through her tea. "Certainly not, sweetheart." She put on her funny looking pair of reading glasses, picked up a cookbook, and then looked back up at her daughter. "Where would you get a silly idea like that?"

"Well, everyone seems to think so," Dawn mumbled, staring into the surface of her tea. "I don't have anyone to talk to."

"Mm, what about that Gary Oak fellow?" Her mother winked. "He's quite handsome."

"Oh, he's handsome alright." Dawn shook her head. "And rude, and conceited, and just- ugh! Oh, mama, he's definitely not for me."

"Sweetheart." Looking amused, she took off her reading glasses and walked around the table to rest her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You know the Viridian Festival is coming up tomorrow, yes? Well, I will sell many products tomorrow and we'll get out of this town to visit all the places in your books."

She turned shining eyes to her mother. "R-really?"

"Of course, but that means I have to get going right now. Will you help me load the wagon?"

So mother and daughter loaded various herbs and candles into the large wagon, and strapped them tightly. Johanna threw a Pokeball into the air, and out burst a large unicorn with a fiery mane and tail. **(A/N - I know Rapidash is a fire horse, but I call it a unicorn sometimes since it has a horn so no judge or reviews saying, "Rapidash is the fire horse Pokemon, not a unicorn!" I KNOW! x.x)**

"Good luck, Mama!" Dawn called after her mother as Rapidash pulled them into the forest and out of sight. Dawn dropped her hand and bit her lip. "Be careful."

* * *

The Viridian Forest was dark, the trees very close together and the path barely visible. Johanna lightly nudged Rapidash forward, glancing left and right as she went. The distant calls of wild Pokemon could be heard, and it was making her nervous, a feeling shared between Pokemon and it's trainer.

"It's alright, Dash dear," Johanna consoled the unicorn, who made a soft whinny and kept moving, though reluctantly.

And then, howls erupted from the trees, uncomfortably close. The blunette winced, and nudged Rapidash again. "Faster," She murmured, and Rapidash picked up a little speed, but she couldn't cart the wagon fast enough to get away...

Now Johanna was very worried. The howls were getting closer, and now she could hear the sounds of many paw pads coming closer. She nudged her horse once more, egging her on and trying to go faster. But Rapidash couldn't go faster with the heavy cart...

Before Johanna could react, five dark shapes leaped from behind the trees and upon Rapidash. The blunette went toppling to ground, rolling on the path. The five shadows bore down on her instead, and five pairs of red eyes leaned close to her own, low rumbling growls issuing from their jaws.

Johanna screamed, and she managed to shove through two of the Mightyena, struggling off the path and into the trees. Adrenaline roaring in her ears, Johanna sprinted as fast as she could, shoving branches aside and leaping over roots. '_They will not get me, they will not get me!' _She thought fiercely, ducking and shoving her way farther, the Mightyena just behind her.

The trees suddenly parted and Johanna burst out of them, nearly crashing into wrought iron gates. Her eyes widened when she saw the five Mightyena pounce, their snarls getting closer and closer. She managed to pry open the gates, get inside them, and slammed them shut, the Mightyenas' heavy bodies crashing against them. She backtracked quickly, her hat sailing off her head and fell close enough to the gates where she didn't dare grab it.

Gasping for breath, clutching a stitch in her chest, she realized that she was freezing. The days had been getting steadily colder as November drew nearer, and now that she was stuck far away from Viridian City, and even Pallet Town, she had no hope to get to either, especially on foot. Not to mention the dropping temperature and the five Mightyenas still circling the outside of the gate.

Getting shakily to her feet, she turned around to face what lie beyond the gate. She gasped, a castle the last thing she expected to see. It looked abandoned, vines growing alongside the towers, the walls, the pillars. In the semi-darkness, the castle looked forbidding, unwelcoming. '_But, where else can I go? I'll just stay for the night...'_

Cautiously, Johanna approached the large doors, then carefully pushed them open. "Hellooo?" Johanna called, hugging her arms and walking inside the grand entrance with chattery teeth. The red carpet beneath her feet muffled her footsteps, small puffs of dusts erupting at her feet.

In the shadows, where Johanna couldn't see, a Pokemon lifted its head off its chest sleepily, green eyes widening. "K-Khoury!" the Pokemon whispered, nudging the sleeping owl beside him. "Wake up, someone's in the castle!"

The Noctowl grunted and rustled his feathers, his eyes glowing lightly in the darkness as he fixed his gaze on the woman. "Wh-what?!" He squawked, flapping his wings indignantly. "What's she doing here?"

"Hello! Hello, I was looking for somewhere to stay!" Johanna called, still making her way slowly towards the stairs at the far end of the room. The Noctowl shook it's head and continued to flap it's wings angrily.

"Drew! Drew, how could you let that woman in?" He chattered angrily, hitting the Pokemon's arm beside him. The Gallade, who was called Drew, looked excited.

"I did not, but she looks awfully lost, I shall assist her!" The Gallade said, casually walking up to Johanna and saying, "Why hello, madam."

Johanna let out a soft shriek, her hands jumping to her mouth. "A...t-talking Pokemon?!"

"And goodbye!" The Noctowl named Khoury said swiftly, flapping his wings at the blunette in irritation. Johanna stepped back, her royal blue eyes huge.

"Ah, Khoury, have a heart, the poor lady needs a place to stay," Drew the Gallade said warmly, gently taking Johanna's elbow. "How 'bout we sit you down, ma'am, and I'll have Caroline bring you some tea."

"O-okay!" Johanna managed to squeak as the Gallade escorted her to the wingback chair by the fireplace. His fist suddenly burst into flames, and he lit the logs to make a roaring fire. A blanket was draped across Johanna's thin shoulders, and she turned her to thank the Gardevoir, who smiled.

"It's lovely to have a guest here," The Gardevoir said, her voice sweet and cheery. "Anything I could get you, just let me know." Johanna thanked her again, and hugged the blanket closer.

"'Scuse me, May, I have tea!" said a woman's voice, and a tray was pushed in by a blue, cat-like Pokemon. A Vaporeon! The Gardevoir called May moved aside and the Vaporeon bustled up with tray now balanced precariously on her head. An Eevee perched on the tray, holding the teacup in his paws.

"Here ya go, miss!" The Eevee squeaked, it's bushy tail wagging.

"Oh, thank you!" The blunette exclaimed, taking the cup from the Eevee's outstretched paws and sipping it a little.

"Oh, Max!" cried the Gardevoir, picking up the Eevee from the tray and setting him on the floor. "Hey!" He protested, making an irritated face at the Gardevoir called May.

"You two, settle down," The Vaporeon commanded, a steely glint in her eyes that hadn't been there moments before. It faded the minute her gaze settled on Johanna. "I am Caroline Maple, and it's nice to meet you!" Johanna smiled and nodded. She felt so comfortable, but...talking Pokemon. The idea was absurd. Could she be dreaming? She gave her arm an experimental pinch, but the only thing that happened was pain shooting up her arm.

The only one who hadn't graciously welcomed her was the Noctowl named Khoury, who was pacing back and forth. "...he'll be angry, Drew," he was saying to the Gallade, who rolled his eyes. "He does not like visitors!"

"Relax, he need not know," The Gallade called Drew tried to assure the Noctowl, but the latter continued to pace and mutter.

But a sudden roar frightened them to silence. The fire blew out in a rush of air and darkness surrounded them. Frightened, Johanna cowered in her chair and the Pokemon retreated in the shadows. "Oh no.." She heard Max whisper.

The hairs on the back of Johanna's neck stood up, a shadow fell across her and an angry voice growled, "WHO ARE YOU?"

She shivered and cringed low in the chair, too scared to look up at the speaker. "I am J-Johanna, and I was merely looking for a place to stay the night, you see-"

"YOU'RE NOT WELCOME!" The voice boomed, and startled, she found a pair of electric blue eyes in her face.

"Please, I-"

"Want a place to stay?" The beast snarled, his paws seizing her upper arms. "I'LL GIVE YOU A PLACE TO STAY!" And though she protested and screamed, the dark beast dragged her away through the castle.

* * *

It had been a couple hours since her mother had been gone, and the sun had started to set. Dawn had just finished attending her and her mom's Pokemon, and curled up in an armchair with her book, when she heard a knock on the door. Sighing, she bookmarked her page and went to door, peeking through the keyhole.

She let out a soft groan. It was person she dreaded seeing most.

"Dawn, I know you're home. I need to talk to you," Gary Oak said smoothly, tapping his knuckles on the door again. She couldn't ignore him, as much as she wanted to; he had to know she was home. After her trip in town she always came home and didn't leave until the next morning. Had he been stalking her?

Taking a deep breath and plastering a fake smile on her face, the blunette opened the door. "Uh...hi, Gary, this is kind of a bad time-"

"Ah, no worries, that can wait," He chuckled, placing his arm around her shoulders. Dawn cringed a little, but he ignored it, leaning into her. "So, I have something very important to ask you."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, I do. Any lady would kill to be in your place, but since it is you, feel lucky when I say you are the most beautiful girl in town." He smirked at her.

Cheeks flushed the tiniest bit, she muttered, "Uh...thanks?"

Gary laughed and brought her closer to him. "So picture this; a rusted hunting lodge, my little wife massaging my feet while the boys play on the floor with the Houndoom. We'll have six or seven."

"Six or seven Houndoom?" She asked.

"No, strapping boys, like me." Gary admired his reflection in a pan for a moment.

"Imagine that..." She mumbled, wrinkling her nose. _'He can't be serious,' _She thought in disgust. _'There's no way, ever, that I'd touch his feet, let alone have kids with him. Gross.'_

"So, what'll it be?" He pressed on, looking away from his reflection to grin at her.

_'The narcissitic, arrogant, fool!' _"I just...don't deserve you," She said simply, ducking out from under his arm and moving toward the door.

"Who does?" He asked with a small laugh, advancing on her as she backed into the door. "But I think I could change your mind." The auburn haired boy took hold of her shoulders and pushed her against the door, pinning her to it, and leaning in with a smile most girls would find endearing.

When his mouth came close to hers, his hands pushed against the door on either side of her waist, she whipped the door open and stayed flat against it. Gary stumbled forward and went toppling down the stairs.

_'Good riddance,' _she thought smugly as he stalked away, looking furious. She slipped out into the backyard where a few of her and her mother's Pokemon were playing.

"Can you believe it?" Dawn asked her Piplup and Buneary, who watched her curiously. "He asked me to marry him! The irritating, brainless-" She sighed. Then she adopted a silly expression and curtsied, wrapping a bonnet around her head. "Madam, Mrs. Oak, can't you just see it? Madam, Mrs. Oak, his little wife!" She kicked her foot angrily and upset a bucket of water. **(A/N: My favorite part of 'Beauty and the Beast.' Belle is definitely one of my favorite princesses because of her attitude xD)** "No, sir, not me, I guarantee it!"

The blunette jogged a little ways into the field and flopped down in the meadow. "I...want much more than this provincial life," She whispered, looking longingly out into the sunset. "I want adventure in far off places...somewhere. I want it more than I can tell." Her Piplup prodded her side, and she scooped him into her arms, and looked into his blackish blue eyes. "And for once it might be grand, to have someone...understand." She kissed his forehead. "I want some much more than they have planned." _'And soon, hopefully, me and Mama will leave, and my fantasies will come true...'_

A sudden, loud whinny cut through the silence. Dawn stood up, still holding her Piplup in her arms. She gasped. "Dash?"

Setting Piplup down, she ran to the frightened fire horse and tried to calm it, stroking it's neck and murmuring comforting words to her.

"Dash, what's wrong? Where's-" The blunette gaped at the wagon, ripped in places but still attached to Rapidash. "Mama? Dash, where's Mum?"

She only whinnied sadly. Dawn shook her head. "We have to find her!" She cried, detaching the wagon from Dash and leaping onto her back. "Piplup, you're in charge; if we don't return by nightfall get everyone inside. Okay?" Piplup nodded, and Dawn nudged her boots into Rapidash's sides. "Okay, Dash, let's go!"

* * *

**Cliff-hanger already? Mwahaha, yep! You notice most of the characters' roles I hope c: And if anyone's confused with anything, just PM me! I know this story is really confusing, and I apologize, but I'll clear up any mishaps c;;; **

**Ash: I'd rather see Chapter 5 of "CLWY" up in a couple days T-T**

**Me: *cracks knuckles* alright, you asked for it! *tackles Ash***

**Dawn: Uh...review, ask questions, and...um..**

**Gary: FEED US WITH REVIEWS, WE'RE HUNGRY!**

**May: Please do, they help with motivation and make Liz (me) smile!**

**~ Demon **


	2. Be Careful What You Wish For

**Well this update took forever o-o Oopsies, my apologies.**

**Ash: At least you updated CLWY first xD**

**Dawn: True that, for once cx**

**Ash: T.T I'll get you, Berlitz**

**May: Calm down, lovebirds! XD**

**Me: cx Pearlshipping forever**

**Ugh, I know I'm probably not the only Pearlshipper in a ranty mood, but this AshxSerena crap is piffling (wat..piffling? o.o) me off! Like. WHAT. You're replacing Pearlshipping with this garbage?! Don't make me laugh...or bust buildings with my fists. XD Well, after you read, include in your reviews what you think about this business. It's DRIVING ME cRaZy!**

**Anyways, chapter 2! cx**

* * *

**Chapter 2-**

The darkness of the woods was pressing in on Dawn, the cold penetrating the thin cloak she wore over her sundress, making her shiver, and hold it closer to her freezing body. Dash was bolting as fast as she could through the frigid air, which wasn't helping Dawn's body temperature, but they had to get to Dawn's mom quickly.

The trees seem to thicken and darken with each passing minute, giving off an uneasy and eery feeling, as though you were being watched but not being able to see who was watching you. The blunette squinted through the darkness, calling for her mother, but receiving no response.

"Where is she, Dash?" She called to her fire horse over the howling wind, her hood blowing off. Her mane of blue locks escaped, and her hair billowed out like a banner behind her. Dash seemed to be heading in a northeastern direction; deeper and deeper into the woods she galloped, following the path until she suddenly steered off of it and crashed through the undergrowth.

Dawn didn't protest, but the sudden change of course did startle her, and made her wonder why her mother would leave the path. As Dash lead her on, the blunette noticed the overhanging branches of trees and bushes off the path were disturbed; many pairs of feet, and six different sets of footprints had made impressions in the mushiest of places, one pair human, the other five larger and rounder than the former's.

'_What the heck happened?' _She wondered, too puzzled about the footprints and exerting herself with worry to realize that Dash had come to a firm halt. The horse's whinnying and stamping brought her back to reality, and the young blunette directed her gaze at the setting before her. She gasped.

It was a castle, a castle that looked as if it had been a splendid sight to behold once upon a time, but now looked aged and neglected; the once splendid garden had overgrown and suffered without being attended to; weeds crept up the sides of the castle and vines draped over pillars like supercilious decorations, adding to the castle's dark, mournful, and slightly intimidating look.

"This is...where mum ran to?" The blue-haired girl inquired, fixing her royal blue gaze on the stallion, who made a soft noise and inclined it's head solemnly, her eyes mirroring Dawn's expression, which was full of fear and anxiety.

"I will bring her home, I promise you," Dawn whispered to the horse, softly kissing Dash's forehead, sealing the oath with equal frankness and determination. The blunette turned to the wrought iron gates, and, taking a deep breath, pushed them open and proceeded to the castle's front doors.

* * *

Since Johanna was thrown in the dungeons, the fellow Pokemon of the castle had laid low, the Beast's fury scaring them out of their wits, and making them feel ashamed that the poor woman had been thus treated. They hung low in the shadows, while Khoury the Noctowl was lecturing them.

"I knew inviting her in was a bad idea! But nobody listens to me, to sense, do you? Now _he's_ extremely cranky and the foolish woman, who by no means deserved to be imprisoned, is rotting in the dungeons for who knows how long-"

"Give it a rest, Khoury," interrupted the Gardevoir called May, who was slumped against the wall, her arms folded, glaring in the opposite direction. "The blame goes on _him _because _he's_ too selfish to allow a lost woman a comfortable bed for the night."

Drew the Gallade smiled slyly at May and nudged her arm. "You are a smart little cookie, aren't ya?" He asked playfully, while she flushed a deep red and looked away. "Now, while _he's _blowing off some steam, we should-"

"Hello? Is somebody here?" The Pokemon froze, listening, their minds reeling, wondering if they'd actually heard a voice. They heard distant footsteps, and a minute later a slim girl in her late teens appeared around the corner, wearing a long black cloak. But what stood out most was her long mane of blue hair, almost to her waist, that seemed awfully familiar.

"Hello?" She called again, turning in circles, squinting into the darkness. "Mother? Are you here? Mother!" The blunette passed the five hidden Pokemon, who stared at her in astonishment.

"She is the one!" Drew said suddenly, and the other four turned to look at him. "You see?" He continued, when the only response he received was bewildered looks. "She's the one! The one who will break the spell!"

"Don't be silly, Drew!" Caroline the Vaporeon told the Gallade, shaking her head. "Don't _you _see? She's **here** for her mother. Don't be gettin' crazy ideas in your head."

When the other three silent Pokemon nodded in agreement with Caroline's words, Drew sighed in exasperation.

"Don't be such a pessimist! That girl is here **for a reason! **Sure her intention is to rescue her mother, but fate wouldn't just lead her or her mother here without having a motive behind it. You see, we have to look at this positively! C'mon, we want to be human again, right?"

Max the Eevee hugged his mother's leg and looked mournfully up at Drew. "I-I know I do. I miss Dad.." He sniffed, wiping his nose on his paw. Poor Mr. Maple. He'd lost his wife and two kids in one day; how he managed to cope was a mystery to all of them, and made them wonder if he was even still alive. Caroline nuzzled her son's head, her eyes visibly wet, but she tried to conceal it from the others. May sniffed, but managed to hold her tears back.

"You see! We can't be like this, don't deserve to be like this forever!" Drew continued, putting a hand on May's shoulder. "I miss my family too, ya know. And I bet Delia misses her son as well…"

The Pokemon exchanged looks, determined, making a silent vow to take advantage of the situation and work to see their families again, to be human again, to give closure to all who thought them lost.

But before either of them could speak again, a feminine scream was heard beneath them, followed by pounding footsteps and a slamming of a door. The Pokemon ran to investigate, fearing the worst...

* * *

Dawn hadn't encountered anyone so far, despite her calls. She bit her lip, her hand resting on the fold of her cloak, turning her head hether and tether for a light source, or maybe a pair of eyes watching her in the darkness; she'd had the feeling someone was watching her when she entered the spooky castle, and as she ascended the velvet carpeted stairs, she glanced again over her shoulder to be sure no one was following her. Nothing.

Trying to shake the feeling away, she continued walking down long corridors, past suits of armor that appeared to watch her walk by; she firmly told herself that her imagination was acting up.

"Get it together, Dawn, you need to be strong for mum," She whispered to herself, walking quicker now, glancing into rooms, turning corners, and descending many steps until she was for sure that she was lost. She called out once more, and once again was answered by silence. Dawn was about to turn back the way she'd come when she heard a weak voice:

"Dawn, dear?"

"Mother!" The young blunette cried, running towards the sound of her mother's voice. She shoved open a heavy door and darted in, first spotting a door in the corner with bars on the bottom, the rest concealed with wood.

Dawn bounded towards the corner, where she saw a pale hand clutching one of the bars. She knelt down and seized the hand, finding a large pair of blue eyes much like her own shining in the darkness of the cell.

"Sweetie, is it really you?"

"Yes, mum, it really is!" Dawn replied, fighting the urge to cry at the weak and fragile condition of her mother's. "Your hands are cold as ice! Who did this to you?"

Her mother coughed furiously, her face pale, her body shaking. She was ill, and if she didn't get immediate medical attention, she would surely die in this freezing, isolated cell, her daughter an arm's length away, but unable to reach her.

"A beast, a horrible beast did this," The older blunette choked out, bursting into a fit of coughs again. When she finished, she fixed her daughter in a stern gaze. "You must go! Flee! He will get you too if you do not!"

"A beast?" She asked, flabbergasted. She decided to let it go, for her mother was more important right now. "I will not leave you. You are a ill, you need medicine, you need to get home to bed with a steaming mug of tea. I cannot and will not let you suffer here!"

"Dawn Berlitz, I order you to leave me!" Her mother commanded, but meekly, because she started hacking and coughing again. Before Dawn could respond, a roar behind her made her start and whip around in a panic.

"It's him," Johanna moaned, giving her daughter a push. "Leave now, quickly! Make haste! Go-"

"WHO DARES TRESPASSING ON MY CASTLE!" A voice bellowed, a large shadow entering the room, a shadow with electric blue eyes. Dawn pressed against the cell, her eyes wide. But Dawn felt more angry than scared, which drove her to her feet, hands on her hips, her eyes slits.

"Me! I dare trespass!" She said loudly, her chin high with confidence that came from fury. "You must be the one that imprisoned my mother! I came for her, and I intend to bring her home."

The shadow shifted and the eyes narrowed. "She also trespassed on my home; unwelcome and certainly not wanted. It is her fault that she resides in my dungeon!"

Dawn felt her determination sink a bit; that deep gravel of a voice, full of hate and anger, made her want to crawl into a ball and cringe away. But she wouldn't let some beast push her around. "She mistakenly stumbled here, and she meant no harm. I apologize for disturbing you, but-"

"SHE IS NOT TO LEAVE!" The voice snapped, causing the blunette to step back; the strength of his voice had blown her and her attitude away.

"Please, she's sick," she pleaded, her eyes wide. "I beg you-"

"SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BECOME SICK IF SHE'D MINDED HER OWN BUSINESS!"

Dawn took a deep breath. She made a decision. As hard as it would be, she knew she must, to save her mother. "Take me instead."

"Dawn, no!" Her mother intervened, shaking the bars with the little strength she had left. "You mustn't!"

A pause. "You would...take her place?" The voice asked in a slightly hushed voice, as though he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"I would. Please, set her free, keep me here instead."

"No, Dawn, listen, I've lived my life-"

"You promise to stay here forever?" The voice questioned.

Dawn nodded. Then she frowned, realizing she hadn't seen the beast's face. "Come into the light..."

There was a shifting movement, and light hit the shadow, illuminating the monstrous beast. It was a Pokemon, a Pokemon she'd only heard legends of: it was tall and had a long red and black mane of hair tied in a ponytail with a blue ring. Those electric blue eyes were rimmed by red fur, which caused them to stand out of face more prominently; he had red claws and red fur also rimmed his mouth and nostrils. The biped had a grey furred body and a dark grey collar of neck fluff. She gasped, unable to hold it in.

"You made the decision, and now it is done!" The Zoroark growled, then marched towards her, causing her to back into the cell, but he merely pushed her aside and opened the cell door. The force of his shove toppled the young blunette to floor and as she scrambled to her hands and knees, she heard a shuffling sound. The beast emerged and had hoisted Johanna over his shoulder, then took off with her.

"Mother!" She screamed, scrambling after the beast. She followed the sound of his heavy footsteps, his stride much too long, and when she managed to catch up, he was outside and she watched helplessly through a stained glass window coated in dust as the beast dumped Johanna on Dash's back and gave the fire horse a slap in the rear. The horse whinnied in fright and took off running, carrying her weak mother with her.

"Mum!" She cried out again, feeling helpless as she shrank to the floor. "Mother.." She mumbled feebly to the carpet, her body trembling. She began to sob, her palms pressed to the floor and her head hung from despair. "I...I didn't even get to say goodbye."

The blunette felt a shadow fall over her and she rose her tear-stained face to her jailer, who was looking at her with a closed expression, not a single emotion evident. His eyes held no pity, no regret, nothing, just empty orbs that stared into hers, unblinking.

He sighed, and for a second, she thought she saw a trace of pain in his eyes, maybe some kind of wish of reconciliation? But he turned away before she could get a good look, and he said, "I will show you to your room."

Dawn hesitated, still slouched on the carpet. "NOW!" He said forcefully, startling her into a standing position. With her head bowed, she followed in his wake, stumbling and trying to keep up with his long stride. She felt a couple tears escape her eyes, but made no move to wipe them. It was pointless. He already seen her cry, and she wanted him to know how much pain he caused her.

Though she did not see it, the beast had turned his head slightly to look at her, unable to fight the temptation any longer. Her hair hung beside her cheeks, and her royal blue eyes were fixed on her feet. Despite her sadness, he couldn't deny that she was beautiful. Her cream and roses skin, her long blue locks, those gorgeous eyes, eyes that had been full of a fierce flame when she had defended her mother. He wasn't sure how to feel about her; or at least whether he should listen to his heart that was humming with glee from the arrival of this girl, or listen to his brain, which was screaming how absurd the idea of her actually falling for him. Him! A monstrous, hideous beast that had imprisoned her mother.

The odds were not in his favor.

After a couple minutes of uncomfortable silence, the beast said, "Since this is your new home, you're allowed to go anywhere you please- except the West Wing."

'_Home...' _"What's in the West-"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" shouted the beast, causing Dawn to flinch backward in fright. He cleared his throat. "Right. This will be your new room." He gestured to a large mahogany door, and she tentatively stepped forward and opened it.

The moment she stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind her. The blunette wheeled around and shook the heavy knob, but the door seemed to be sealed shut.

"You will join me for dinner!" The beast's voice rang out from the other side of the door. "That is an order!" She heard his heavy footsteps stomp away down the hall, leaving her alone in her new room, which was almost as wide as her whole house back in Pallet. She glanced at the velvet windows concealing the windows, the four poster bed in the corner, the beautiful dresser and table and chairs, but felt nothing but emptiness.

'_This is where I'll live forever; no friends, no more picking flowers, no more...mum.' _She let out a huge shuddering breath, the realization of her decision impacting her mind, the feeling of loneliness, of being trapped.

She broke.

Throwing herself onto the feathered mattress, the sobs that she'd been fighting escaped her. She wailed and screamed into her pillow, her body tightening into a ball, the multiple emotions of fury, fear, and sadness trying to leave her.

"Deary?"

The voice startled the blunette, who sat bolt upright, staring around through puffy red eyes. She was sure the voice had come from the corner, near the dresser.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

The shadows shifted a bit and out stepped a large cat. A big, fat cat with purple and white fur, cheeks bedecked with wiry whiskers, its tail wrapped around it's torso, and a grim expression. It's eyes, which Dawn was sure should be yellow, were a sea green, watching her with pity and concern.

Dawn swallowed. "Did...did you just talk?" She wasn't sure if she should be surprised or frightened, after all, that nasty talking Zoroark had not at all been friendly, but this Pokemon seemed docile and open.

"Yes, I find it's the only useful thing I can do," The Purugly replied solemnly, approaching the young blunette slowly. "We find it hard to accomplish anything as Pokemon, especially when our families don't even recognize us and there is no one to care for." The cat smiled slightly. "That is, until you came."

"Did you say, 'we'?" asked Dawn, tilting her head. How many talking Pokemon were in this castle?

"I did. Us unfortunate ones were cursed along with our friend, you see, and now we cannot be human again unless-" She stopped hastily, clearing her throat. "I mean, you should meet the others. I'm sure they'll be glad to have more company than just this empty castle."

"Uh, okay." Dawn was sure she was holding something important back, but she decided not to push her. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name..."

The Purugly smiled, her sharp teeth glinting in the semi-darkness. "When I was a human, my name was Misty Waterflower."

Dawn frowned; where had she heard that name? "Oh, pleased to meet you. I'm Dawn Berlitz."

The cat inclined it's head politely. "A pleasure. Now, let me bring the others." She disappeared swiftly out the door for such a big cat. A minute later she returned, accompanied by a few more Pokemon.

Dawn sucked in a breath, watching cautiously as the six Pokemon approached her bed, all with curious looks on their faces.

"Oh my dear, you look very distressed! You should drink some tea," the Vaporeon exclaimed, a tea pot balanced on her head, a warm smile across her face.

"You look like you need it!" squeaked a voice right in front of her, and the blunette found a little Eevee sitting in front of her, his tail wagging, a tea cup clutched in his paws.

"How sweet, thank you," Dawn said quietly, smiling a tad as the Vaporeon poured some steaming liquid into the cup. The blunette lifted the tea to her lips and felt the warm liquid in her throat soothing since her insides felt so empty and cold.

After Dawn finished her tea, she asked, "So, what're all your names? My name's Dawn."

The Eevee, who had snuggled into her lap, replied, "I'm Max Maple!"

Dawn smiled. "Nice to meet you."

"I am Drew Hayden, at your service," The Gallade said smoothly, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Don't be such a flirt, Drew!" The Gallade scolded, pushing him aside. She smiled at Dawn. "I'm May Maple, and that's my annoying little brother in your lap."

"Hey!" He protested, glowering at his sister and causing Dawn to giggle.

The Vaporeon admonished the two before turning to Dawn and saying, "Don't mind my children, all they do is fight. I'm Caroline Maple."

Dawn inclined her head. "A pleasure. Let's see, I've already met Misty…" She saw the Noctowl with his back turned firmly away from her and said to him, "Hi there, what's your name?"

The others nudged him forward, despite his grumbles and turned his hawk-like eyes on her. "I am Khoury."

Dawn beamed. "Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you all, you're all very nice to me!" She then grimaced. "Except that nasty Zoroark, he was quite rude."

The Pokemon exchanged looks; their mission to matchmake Dawn and the beast was already looking bleak and hopeless.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Pallet Town, a distraught Gary was lounging in an armchair, one hand over his face, the other clutching a bottle of beer. The tavern was crowded and stuffy, full of talk and laughter and the clanking of beers.

"I've never felt like this," Gary admitted to his blond friend, who was sitting beside him, swigging down his beer. "Dismissed, rejected, publically humiliated! Augh! I'm disgraced."

"Don't think that way, everyone here loves you," Barry tried to reassure the auburn haired boy, who just shook his head and looked away. "It really disturbs me to see you like this Gary, looking so down in the dumps."

Gary watched him with cold eyes as the orange eyed boy clapped him on the back, grinning drunkenly. "C'mon, every guy here would like to be you, Gary, even when taking your blows!" He chuckled as the other men nodded in agreement, tipping their drinks in mock approval. Gary just shook his head, but Barry wasn't done. "No one in town is admired as much you are! You're the great Gary Oak!" The auburn haired boy felt a small smile twitch reluctantly at the corner of his mouth. "Everyone's awed and inspired by you! It's not very hard to see why." Barry winked and the crowd grunted in approval.

"No one's been like Gary!" Someone yelled.

"No one's quick as Gary!" Someone else called.

"No one's incredibly strong as Gary!" cried a third.

"Oh, isn't he a king among men!" Bianca sighed to her two friends, who both swooned and nodded enthusiastically.

Gary had stood up, his chin up, smirking at the crowd. He consumed their compliments and broadened his grin the more they threw at him.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a flurry of snowflakes came inside along with a hooded figure, who stumbled towards the crowd. They backed away. The figure pulled off their hood to reveal a pale and disheveled blue-haired woman, whose eyes were wild.

"Somebody help! Please!" Johanna Berlitz screeched, waving her hands wildly, approaching several people with bugged eyes. They backed off, wrinkling their noses.

"Please, my daughter's in trouble!" The blunette squeaked frantically, grabbing Ursula's hands and shaking them.

The pink-haired girl pulled away in disgust. "Get away from me, witch!"

"Whoa, Johanna," Gary called out, grabbing her thin shoulder and spinning her towards him. "Slow down and explain what's wrong." He studied her with malicious dark eyes, interested to hear about Dawn. Had she gotten herself in trouble over him?

Johanna took a deep breath. "Dawn's being held captive by a beast, a horrible monstrous beast!"

The townspeople exchanged skeptic looks, then broke into fits of laughter.

Johanna set her jaw. "Fine. If no one will help me, I guess I'll do it myself!" She stormed out, her head held high as the townspeople continued to erupt into gales of laughter.

"Crazy 'ole Johanna!" Someone chuckled.

"She's always good for a laugh!" Lyra chided in, and everyone stumbled over laughing once more before starting up their regular conversations as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. **(1)**

"Crazy old Johanna," Gary said slowly, letting the words flow from his tongue carefully, lost in thought.

Barry, swigging down yet another bottle of liquor, looked confused. "What about her?"

"She's important to my scheme." Gary smirked, his dark eyes glinting wickedly in the fire light. "I have a plan to make Dawn accept my hand."

* * *

Despite showing confidence in the bar, walking out in the cold with a faint sleet blowing in her wake, Johanna felt absolutely powerless. She didn't know how she was going to rescue her daughter, wasn't sure if she could even locate the castle again, nor was she ignorant to the fact she was an older woman and didn't have the strength like she did in her youth.

She was alone and ill, and she didn't have the faintest idea how long Dawn would survive locked up with that beast. Her poor baby. Her only baby, her only comfort. She'd seen the fear in her daughter's royal blue eyes as she took Johanna's place, but also the determination. She knew Dawn would never let the beast keep Johanna, especially when she could bargain herself in exchange for her mother's freedom, but her stubbornness had made Johanna feel pathetic. She couldn't even protect her own daughter. It wasn't Dawn's duty to defend her mother, but she'd done it anyway.

'_Some sacrifices are worth making,' _Johanna had said to Dawn when she told her that they were moving to Pallet Town. Dawn had been miserable and irate the whole time they'd packed, not meeting her mother's eyes as Johanna attempted to explain they needed the money and to get it she needed more business. Thinking back on it, Johanna felt sick to her stomach. If they'd never come to Pallet Town, Dawn wouldn't have had to take her place.

"'...and soon he traveled over the lands, claiming badges left, right, and center,'" someone was saying, causing Johanna to jump. The voice had come from in front of her. She approached the voice cautiously.

"Hello? Who's there?" Johanna breathed out. The hunched figure of a woman loomed in front of her. Johanna jogged toward her, sliding slightly on the mushy street as she tried to catch up.

"'He won league after league,'" the woman told her gloves, staring at them intently as though she was scrutinizing an actual person. "'People started calling him a Pokemon Master.'"

Johanna frowned. "Miss? Are you alright?"

The woman turned her gaze to the blunette, who stepped back. The lady's chocolate brown eyes were sunken in her skin, wild and slightly vacant, as though she didn't see Johanna at all. The moonlight shone across her pasty skin, illuminating chapped lips and worry lines around her eyes; her tangled brown hair streaked with grey was tied in a lopsided ponytail as though she hadn't thought about her hair in a long time. Despite her appearance, she didn't seem as old as her image. Maybe a couple years older than Johanna, but definitely not at an age where she should have that much grey hair.

The woman had a sort of heavy sadness deeply etched in her face, her eyes shattered from a long since pain. A pain that hadn't brought any closure.

"Are you okay?" Johanna asked in concern. "It's much too cold to be walking out here!"

The woman laughed softly, tugging her wool coat closer to her frail, thin body. "I'm okay. I always take strolls around outside. Me and my son love taking walks together…" She faltered, her eyes getting that far away look again. "He always said walking clears his head."

"Oh." Johanna decided not to mention the absence of this woman's son. She seemed so miserable already, and something about the way the woman mentioned her son seemed to bring more pain to the surface.

"Well, how about I get you home, Miss? You look dead on your feet." The blunette noticed the woman's face seemed to tighten, the sadness in her eyes growing deeper. "My name's Johanna Berlitz."

The tired brunette managed a wistful smile. "A lovely name." She took Johanna's arm and looked at her expectantly. "My house is up the block. You don't mind taking me, do you?"

* * *

"What's up there?" The young blunette asked Drew and Khoury. The Gallade and Noctowl had decided to give her a mini tour of her new home, which had made her feel welcome but at the same time empty with dread. _'Home...'_

They had rounded the corner of a long corridor, which had brought them back to the entrance hall and grand staircase. They'd walked around the whole castle, Khoury spouting random facts for Dawn's benefit, and offering her tips on how not to get lost. The other place they hadn't gone to was the corridor up the stairs and to the left, which looked dark and depressing, but Dawn was curious.

"What do you mean?" Khoury snapped. "We showed you the entire castle, including upstairs!"

"Not the west part of the castle."

If Drew and Khoury could have blanched, they would have. Both looked at each other in alarm and faked smiles.

"Oh, nothing's up there!" Drew chuckled. "Just some musty and broken furniture. Very dusty and unpleasant. Come come, you must want to see something more spectacular! Like, uh, like, uh-"

"The trophy room, or the library!" Khoury chided in, and both nodded vigorously.

"A library?" Dawn asked, her attention caught, wonder filling her.

Both Pokemon sighed in relief. "Yes, yes of course!" They cried in unison. "Lots of books, more than you can imagine! Right this way!"

They walked back down the corridor, not noticing that Dawn hadn't followed them. She had sneakily crept up the red carpeted stairs, not daring to make a sudden sound and alert her tour guides that she had slipped off.

Once she made it up the stairs, the blunette quickened her pace and slipped down the darker corridor leading to the West Wing.

At first, she regretted venturing into the place. The West Wing, as they had said, was musty, dusty, and so dark she could hardly make out various objects occasionally blocking her path. She thought she might get lost and bitterly cursed herself for not obeying the Zoroark. Nothing special up here.

She was wrong. Without warning, she ran straight into a door. She knew it was a door because of the dim light that outlined the edges from the other side of it. Excited, hoping to find something interesting, Dawn pushed open the door.

She got more than she bargained for. The first thing that caught her eye was the ripped tapestries and drapes around the walls, shredded pieces dangling pathetically over the windows which filtered in slivers of moon light to illuminate the room. Furniture was torn and tossed around as though a powerful toddler had thrown a big tantrum and scattered them everywhere.

The farther Dawn walked in the more shredded and broken items she saw: a busted mirror, peeling wallpaper, and a photograph.

Curious, Dawn peered at the tattered image. It appeared to be a brown-haired woman in her early thirties standing behind a boy with scruffy dark hair. She looked like his mother, in an apron with her hair tied back, her hands on his shoulders, beaming at the camera. The boy's face was shredded, ripped deliberately so she couldn't make out his features. It looked like someone had turned rogue and slashed the picture violently.

Before she could comprehend why someone would tear such a tranquil little photo, Dawn noticed a violet light out of the corner of her eye. Dawn glanced over and gasped. The source of the light was the most beautiful rose she'd ever seen encased in a glass jar. It was shimmering, suspended in midair without anything holding it up. A few of its petals had fallen off and lay beneath it, wilting and sad. Intrigued, Dawn approached.

She carefully lifted the glass off the rose and slowly extended her hand towards the rose. A sudden snarl behind her startled her and she spun around.

The Zoroark stood over her, fury in his electric blue eyes, his large paws clenched. "And what," he growled, leaning in close to her face, "DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING HERE?! DON'T YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE?!"

Dawn winced and stepped back, almost colliding with the table. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean any har-"

"GET OUT!" He bellowed, scaring her out of her wits. Dawn bolted for the exit, the sound of objects behind her smashing. "GET OUT!"

She ran as fast as she could, scampering past the strewn objects and down the stairs. She saw Gallade and Khoury waiting for her, but before they could speak, she sped right past them and out the double doors. She heard them calling her name, but she had no intention of returning.

There was no way she'd stay now.

The blunette maneuvered through the woods, her breath coming out heavy and steamy. She pushed through the undergrowth and overhanging branches, her hair and cloak getting caught at almost every interval. She was desperate to flee out of reach of that horrible beast, his frightening blue eyes still burned into her mind.

Dawn emerged into a clearing, looking around in fright for something familiar when howls broke the night. She froze, and suddenly, she was surrounded. A dozen Mightyena were closing in around her, snarling and gnashing their teeth. She didn't know why, but it was as if they had been _waiting _for her.

She was trapped in their ranks, and there was no way she'd escape.

She snatched a branch from the ground and raised it to defend herself. _'I'm so sorry, mum, I guess I'm going down fighting...'_

* * *

**o: Intense cliffhanger! Do you think so? I kind of do xD What's gonna happen to Dawn? Who was the mysterious woman Johanna met? What is Gary planning?**

**Your questions will be answered in the final chapter, which is the next chapter xD yep, only three for this story.**

**Ash: That's short.**

**Drew: x.x Here we go again!**

**Dawn: *sigh* as we knew he would...**

**Ash: T_T**

**Me: Haha, settle down kiddies. Oh, for you Percy Jackson fans like me, I hope you read House of Hades. I'm super close to being done and it is sooooo good! Like, beyond amazing. 'Tis a must read c;**

**R&R. Until next time, which will be the last for this story,**

**- DemonOtaku-Pearlshipper x3 (; c: **


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